Current work vehicles, such as tractors and other agricultural vehicles, include an electronically controlled engine and a transmission, such as a power shift transmission (PST) or a continuously variable transmission (CVT), coupled to the engine. The transmission is, in turn, coupled to at least one drive axle assembly for transferring torque from the transmission to the vehicle's wheels or tracks. For instance, for a four-wheel drive track-driven vehicle, a drive wheel of each front track assembly is typically rotationally coupled to a front axle assembly of the work vehicle for transferring torque transmitted from the engine to the front track assembly while a drive wheel of each rear track assembly is typically rotationally coupled to a rear axle assembly of the work vehicle for transferring torque transmitted from the engine to the rear track assembly. As is generally understood, each drive wheel may be configured to rotationally engage a corresponding endless track of the associated track assembly such that rotation of the drive wheel rotates the track, thereby allowing the vehicle to be driven forward or backward. In addition to the drive wheel, each track assembly may include a plurality of other track wheels, such as idler wheels and roller wheels that engage the track as it is rotates around its drive loop.
Due to the typical operating environment for a work vehicle, track assemblies are often exposed to mud, sticks and/or other debris, which can lead to accumulation of such material within one or more of the components of a track assembly. In particular, material may accumulate between the track and the track wheels. Such material accumulation may undesirably impact the tension within the track of the track assembly. Moreover, other operating conditions of a work vehicle, such as the vehicle load and/or the operating state of a track tensioning assembly of the track assembly, may impact the track tension of the vehicle's tracks.
Accordingly, an improved system and method for monitoring the track tension of a track assembly of a work vehicle to determine when the tension falls outside desired operating range would be welcomed in the technology.